We are excited about our draft coverage here at FFSN this year, as we are adding something new to the fold. Between now and the NFL Draft, I will be writing individual player profiles on many of this year’s top prospects. Today, we continue the series with Alabama EDGE rusher Dallas Turner.

Each of these breakdowns will include a brief background on the player, an in-depth scouting report, and a projection as to where he is likely to be selected in the NFL Draft. All of these articles can be found on our main FFSN NFL feed. Be sure to share these breakdowns with your fellow draft buddies on social media!

Bio and Profile

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 247 lbs

Universally rated as one of the best players in his class, Turner was a consensus five-star prospect coming out of high school. Despite receiving interest from nearly every major program, he chose to play under Nick Saban and fight for playing time in a deep group of Alabama pass rushers. While only starting three games, Turner still managed to find playing time in 15 games and muster 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He garnered more attention in his sophomore season, which caused a dip in production, but he was still a consistent force on the edge teams had to respect. After a solid 2023 season and outstanding combine workout, he heads into the draft as arguably the best defender in the class.

Scouting Report

Dallas Turner is one of the most athletic defensive prospects in this draft. His 2023 season was good, but not unfathomably great. I, along with many others, expected him to follow in the steps of Will Anderson and completely dominate competition, but it did not happen. We did, however, see more consistency in 2023 than what we saw in 2022, and much of that can be attributed to his own commitment to diversifying his pass rush. In 2022, Turner almost exclusively won with speed, but this past year, he developed in the aspect of gaining leverage, displaying an ability to drive defenders back and collapse the pocket.

Turner’s first-step quickness, hand usage, and hand placement have also improved, making him a much more well-rounded prospect as he enters the draft. While the production was not always there in college, his best football is likely ahead of him. He is one of my highest rated defenders in this class and an excellent fit as a stand-up pass rusher in a 3-4 system.

Draft Projection

I have a hard time believing Turner falls outside the top 10. Atlanta at Pick 8 is such a great fit for him when putting into consideration some of the past EDGE rushers Raheem Morris has developed. I would not rule out Tennessee at Pick 7 or Chicago at Pick 9 either, although I believe Chicago is a prime candidate to trade back in Round 1. When considering Atlanta’s dire need for pass rushers, it seems like a no-brainer for them to take him at Pick 8, but stranger things have happened. Nonetheless, Turner appears to safely be a top-12 pick who could be in play as early as Pick 7.